Pure gold Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer is the world’s most widely used phosphorus fertilizer. It’s made from two common constituents in the fertilizer industry, and its relatively high nutrient content and excellent physical properties make it a popular choice in farming and other industries.
Ammonium phosphate fertilizers first became available in the 1960s, and DAP rapidly became the most popular in this class of products. It’s formulated in a controlled reaction of phosphoric acid with ammonia, where the hot slurry is then cooled, granulated and sieved. DAP handles and stores well. The standard nutrient grade of DAP is relatively high, at 18-46-0, so fertilizer products with lower nutrient content may not be labelled DAP.
It can be applied for tilling and during sowing, as well as for pre-sowing cultivation. Dissolving in soil, it provides temporary alkalization of pH of the soil solution around the fertilizer granule, thus stimulating better uptake of phosphorus from the fertilizers on acid soils. Fertilizer’s sulphur also contributes to the better intake of nitrogen and phosphorus by plants.
The inputs required to produce one ton of DAP fertilizer are approximately 1.5 to 2 tons of phosphate rock, 0.4 tons of sulfur (S) to dissolve the rock, and 0.2 tons of ammonia. Changes in the supply or price of any of these inputs will impact DAP prices and availability. The high nutrient content of DAP helps reduce handling, freight and application costs. DAP is produced in many locations in the world and is a widely traded fertilizer commodity.
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